Study: Product recommendations not converting

Product recommendations continue to carry weight with shoppers, but not necessarily enough weight to make them buy. That is a key takeaway from new Monetate data which shows that while product recommendations continue to drive shoppers to click-and-browse store sites, those clickers aren't always converting.

"Product recommendations are key to driving ecommerce performance. But to combat waning KPIs, a brand has to up its game," said Lucinda Duncalfe, CEO, Monetate. "Our latest EQ offers real-world examples from Microsoft, Brownells and Kipling to illustrate the power of making more relevant recommendations within a variety of contexts, using all the data available."

Some interesting findings from Monetate include:

• Bounce rates average 35%, a 6% YoY increase
• Average order values are $122.65, a decrease of 2.5% YoY
• Conversion rates average 2.32%

So, what is the key to product recommendations pushing conversions? It could be placement. The Monetate report notes that Kipling tested recommendation placement, and their test shows that with the recommendation grid at the bottom of the page rather than the top conversions increased just over 1.6%. Product recommendations at the top of the page resulted in a 7% conversion rate while the bottom placed grid resulted in a 9% conversion rate.